HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE JANUARY 19, 1995 1:40 P.M. TAPE HFC 95 -1, Side 1 , #000 - #581. CALL TO ORDER Co-Chair Mark Hanley called the House Finance Committee meeting to order at 1:40 P.M. PRESENT Co-Chair Hanley Representative Kohring Co-Chair Foster Representative Martin Representative Mulder Representative Navarre Representative Brown Representative Parnell Representative Grussendorf Representative Therriault Representative Kelly ALSO PRESENT Representative John Davies; Mike Greany, Director, Legislative Finance Division; Louanne Christian, Secretary, House Finance Committee; Michelle Toohey, Committee Staff, House Finance Committee. SUMMARY Committee Introductions ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING Co-Chair Hanley introduced the members of the House Finance Committee and explained the proposed committee process and schedule. Co-Chair Hanley added that the Finance Committee would operate under the same rules of procedure as established in past years. A quorum will consist of six votes for final action on legislation; five votes will be required on passage of amendments. In order to schedule bills in Committee, a written request should be submitted from the sponsor. [Attachment #1]. That request should consist of a sponsor statement; sectional analysis of the bill's most current version; current fiscal notes; current departmental position papers and pertinent background material. The five day rule and the legislative ethics rule was discussed as pertaining to the Committee hearing requirements for that legislation previously heard. [Attachment #2]. The Ethics Committee has submitted a proposed "Open Meetings Principles for the Alaska State 1 Legislature" to both the House and Senate for consideration. For bills previously heard, the "Open Meeting Guidelines" states that a twenty-four hour supplemental notice be required. Representative Brown questioned how the Thursday notice requirement would apply to the subcommittee schedules. Co- Chair Hanley referenced Attachment #2 which implies the problem of legislation previously heard in the House Finance Committee, placed into subcommittee and then returned to the full Finance Committee. He recommended these problems be handled in the "Meeting Guidelines" which are to be adopted. Co-Chair Hanley continued, budget subcommittees would be chaired by the House Finance Committee majority members and that each subcommittee would consist of two minority members. He added, the department subcommittee appointments would be finalized within the next week. Additionally, subcommittees formed to address legislation would not be chaired by the legislator proposing that legislation. LOUANNE CHRISTIAN, STAFF, HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE, explained the role of the House Finance Committee Secretaries and the Clerk/Page position. Co-Chair Hanley advised Committee members that the "short forms" would be available in the middle of February. Representative Brown asked if the summary books, citing the difference between the Hickell/Knowles budget, would be available before that time. Co-Chair Hanley replied that summary books as provided by each department would be available soon. MIKE GREANY, DIRECTOR, LEGISLATIVE FINANCE DIVISION, explained that the Legislative Finance Division currently is working on those portions of the budget most likely to be unchanged. The Division will provide an analysis of the formula programs and the front section of the budget. Co-Chair Hanley stated that the departmental budget overviews would provide the Committee members an introduction to each commissioner and an explanation of the anticipated high points of their proposed budgets. Discussion followed amongst Committee members regarding the twenty-four hour notice and the impact that would have on the committee substitutes availability to the public. Members discussed long range budget planning. Representative Brown requested that information regarding the long range planning be worked on in the full House Finance Committee. Co-Chair Hanley agreed noting it would 2 be a priority of the Chair. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 2:15 P.M.